(Newser)
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President Trump came out swinging as expected Wednesday at the start of the NATO summit, but he went beyond his familiar criticism that nations such as Germany weren't spending enough on defense. Instead, he called attention to a proposed pipeline that would run gas under the Baltic Sea, from the Russian coast to Germany. The huge project makes Germany "captive" to Russia, Trump complained, and Merkel later bristled at the suggestion, though she didn't mention the US president. More details on the fallout and the pipeline itself:

One on one: After the initial public comments, Trump and Merkel met one on one and emerged with much nicer diplo-speak. Trump described his relationship with the chancellor as "very, very good" and "tremendous," report the Wall Street Journaland the BBC, while Merkel said, "We are good partners and we wish to continue to cooperate in the future.” Democrats including Chuck Schumer blasted Trump's original marks, notes the Washington Post. "An embarrassment," said Schumer.

@trump_steals_kids writes " "The locals in all the nations of Europe don't want out bases there." Reply: During the Vietnam War, the Vietcong incited the young Vietnamese to demand "US goes home". Now the Vietcong surrenders the sovereignty of Vietnam to China's hegemony. That makes the whole country protest the Vietcong's treason on June 10, 2018. Many Vietnamese protesters hold high the USA flag and Donald Trump's pictures, because they totally support Donald Trump's Make America Great Again, fighting back the China' hegemony by the Trade War, which is in fact an attrition war against China's power and resources, and by the US Navy presence in the South China Sea denying the China's illegal claims in the South China Sea! https://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/concessions-06112018161528.html

Huong Giang

Jul 12, 2018 1:29 PM CDT

@trump_steals_kids:disqus writes "The locals in all the nations of Europe don't want out bases there." Reply: In the past, idiotic students in Germany, France S. Korea, S. Vietnam, Japan did the protests "US goes home'. Now facing the threats of Russia's invasion in Ukraine, China's hegemony in the South China Seas and N. Korea's nuclear missile threat, there is no more such short-sighted idiots there.

Huong Giang

Jul 12, 2018 12:28 PM CDT

“The growth in our [military] share[in Germany,Japan, and S.Korea] has really been pretty stunning. And I think we’ve got to stop that direction,” Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the committee, said in an interview.